We all those who are not indifferent to issues of freedom of public associations and freedom of religion stand for abolition of Article 193.1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, which provides for responsibility for activities of non-registered religious organization, non-registered association or fund, namely up to 2 years in prison.

Since 2006 not less than 18 people have been held criminally liable for activities without state registration according to Article 193.1 of the Criminal Code. It’s a last time tendency that the warnings about the inadmissibility of activities without state registration are being issued to representatives of religious communities.

Today in Belarus there are hundreds of Christian communities, ministries and rehabilitation centers that for various reasons are not registered, and thereby are subject to a punitive provision of Art. 193.1. A lot of public, human rights and political organizations have repeatedly unsuccessfully tried to become registered. They were denied registration on unsubstantiated reasons. At the same time, the right to freedom of association implies the right to freely and voluntarily form associations.

In this regard, we demand to exclude Article 193.1 from the Criminal Code, to lift the ban on activities of unregistered religious and public associations in all legislative acts of Belarus. We call for preservation of the guaranteed rights on free dissemination of faith, belief, and freedom of associations in Belarus.

This petition was delivered to:

Belarusian authoritiesBelarusian authorities

Letter to

Belarusian authoritiesBelarusian authorities

I just signed the following petition addressed to: Belarusian authorities

We all those who are not indifferent to issues of freedom of public associations and freedom of religion stand for abolition of Article 193.1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, which provides for responsibility for activities of a religious organization, non-registered association or fund, namely up to 2 years in prison.

Since 2006 not less than 18 people have been held criminally liable for activities without state registration according to Article 193.1 of the Criminal Code. It’s a last time tendency that the warnings about the inadmissibility of activities without state registration are being issued to representatives of religious communities.

Today in Belarus there are hundreds of Christian communities, ministries and rehabilitation centers that for various reasons are not registered, and thereby are subject to a punitive provision of Art. 193.1. A lot of public, human rights and political organizations have repeatedly unsuccessfully tried to become registered. They were denied registration on unsubstantiated reasons. At the same time, the right to freedom of association implies the right to freely and voluntarily form associations.

In this regard, we demand to exclude Article 193.1 from the Criminal Code, to lift the ban on activities of unregistered religious and public associations in all legislative acts of Belarus. We call for preservation of the guaranteed rights on free dissemination of faith, belief, and freedom of associations in Belarus.----------------